ORD custom rear springs? Opinions?

[77 K20]

anybody have these? They are supposed to use a bunch of thin leaves that will flex more than typical aftermarket springs. And they say they can build them to still be able to carry a load.

Right now I have blocks on the back under the stock 3/4 ton 35 year old springs. And the rear is slighly lower than the front. Want to bring it up another 1" or so.

Up front I have the Tuff Country HD springs. I like the way those ride.

I thought about the shackle flip, but the springs hang down so low in the back I'd worry about smashing them dropping off of something. Right now I have a heavy rear bumper that takes a beating. And with the shackle flip then I'd have to do some sort of shim/pinion correction right?

Or just do Tuff Country rear springs? But once again I'm concerned about load carrying ability.

And I do pull a 5th wheel that has 700 lbs of pin weight. Not much, but then there is firewood, chairs, coolers...

 

[hirschdalechevy]

I have never ran the ord springs , but I have done a set up I liked in the back of one of my k20's.

I kept my 4" blocks , moved my rear hangers back and ran longer, stock late model springs , (that were re arched at our local spring shop) and they had great load capacity and rode way better than my original 52" rear springs.
The longer the leaf , they better they ride so they say.

Just a thought.

 

[77 K20]

I have never ran the ord springs , but I have done a set up I liked in the back of one of my k20's.

I kept my 4" blocks , moved my rear hangers back and ran longer, stock late model springs , (that were re arched at our local spring shop) and they had great load capacity and rode way better than my original 52" rear springs.
The longer the leaf , they better they ride so they say.

Just a thought.

I have a heavy farmer made rear bumper that would get in the way with moving the rear hangers back... unless I got rid of the bumper.

Heard back from ORD today. To use their custom springs and still have load carrying ability I'd need to add air bags. Don't want to do that- would add even more money to the already expensive springs.

They do have Tuff Country rear springs also. How are those springs for load carrying? Any ride advantage with TC springs instead of old worn stock ones?

Lastly I thought about doing the 2.5" shackle flip (as I've heard there wouldn't need to be a pinion angle correction on a long bed) along with the 1" zero rate block. With just a 2.5" shackle flip will it still move the axle forward? How much? The zero rate can move it back- or would it move back too much?

Does doing a shackle flip improve the ride or articulation? Otherwise I might just keep the blocks.

 

[chevyk10]

I would not move shackles, flip shackles, or buy someone's "custom springs." There are only 2 spring manufacturer's that you want to use. Dayton or Flagg. Do not settle for any other foreign junk. You should be able to get those springs for around $150 each or so and that's kind of high. Shackles do not move your axle or help your ride. Generally if you do not raise a vehicle more than 3 inches then pinion angles will be fine. Airbags are nice for ride and load carrying capacity. I recommend


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[chevyk10]

Remember that's 3 inches from the original ride height not a 35 yo spring.


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[77 K20]

I would not move shackles, flip shackles, or buy someone's "custom springs." There are only 2 spring manufacturer's that you want to use. Dayton or Flagg. Do not settle for any other foreign junk. You should be able to get those springs for around $150 each or so and that's kind of high. Shackles do not move your axle or help your ride. Generally if you do not raise a vehicle more than 3 inches then pinion angles will be fine. Airbags are nice for ride and load carrying capacity. I recommend


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For others that might read this supposedly the ORD custom springs are made by Alcan springs out of Colorado. They are a good quality US made spring made since 1982. But for $690+

 

[77 K20]

Remember that's 3 inches from the original ride height not a 35 yo spring.


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Is there any measurements one can do to see how much the stock springs have sagged?

 

[Stroked]

Is there any measurements one can do to see how much the stock springs have sagged?

I was trying to figure this out a few weeks ago, but didn't get many responses. Hotrod gave me a couple measurements and my truck was fair amount lower than his, but his still has 30 year old springs on it. It'd be nice to get measurements from someone with NEW stock replacement springs.

The best way I could figure to measure them was from the center of the hub to the bottom edge of the wheel well.

 

[chevyk10]

No experience with ORD. I was in the suspension business for over 20 years. If someone tells you more spring leaves bit thinner will give you a better ride don't believe it. There is a free Arch measurement when you have it off but you will find the leaves are probably fanned out and rusted. There will be no real good way to know unless you have someone with a new set and they measure the frame height for you. If I remember the numbers right the measurement is 26x26 center bolt to center of the eye. That's measuring with the arch. Arch is measured by using a straight edge from center of the eye on the front to center of the eye on the rear and measuring down to the center bolt. We use to put 21-553 springs on in pairs because they were pretty highly rated for load and cheap. We use to sell them for around a $100 each. A good spring person will be able to find you the on Humber that will work and is the cheapest.


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[chevyk10]

Number *. Sometimes a 3/4 ton will have a 26x30 spring.


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[nonricer]

I'm a newbie here.
But as to the amount your springs have sagged. It might work if you measure your ground clearance from the original ground clearance as i think that would be one way of determining how much it has dropped. I think you may be able to get the measurement from a brochure for your vehicle.
http://brochures.slosh.com/

 

[marks86]

I had all intentions of getting these springs but the 800dollars price tag was a HUGE turn off, so I settled with stiff regular springs, ask me in a month or two on how they ride

 

[77 K20]

I like to go back and update old threads that I started for those who use the search function and may come across this thread.

In the last 4 years since I first posted this I found that 1)I'm getting old and 2) I keep taking my truck on longer and rougher trails where bouncing around for a full day just isn't comfortable. I ended up buying ORD front springs. It took about 6 weeks from when I ordered them for them to show up on my door step.

They are heavy for a 4" spring: 60 lbs. And they have a lot of free arch to them. This is the new spring vs my old Tuff Country spring.

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I was able to remove the greaseable bushings from my old springs and move them over without too much trouble. They were still in great shape.

I've been working every day so have only had time to do one side of the truck. Which gave me a interesting chance to do some comparisons.

Here is the truck supported by the frame. Front axle is just hanging there. Look at how much lower the passenger side can hang with ORD springs. If I had a tire/wheel on there is would be a little lower even due to the weight.

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I got done at 3 am but went for a short drive with the one new leaf spring on the front. Near the house was a closed gas station that has a nasty bump (dip) that my car's front bumper scrapes on. I went over this several times at an angle. When I hit it at a 45* angle with the new spring first it just soaked it up- the cab didn't move hardly at all. Then I hit it at the opposite 45* angle with the old spring hitting it first. It made the cab bounce and lurch away from the bump.

I'm working 10 hour shifts for the next 11 days then taking a trip. I'll update this thread again when I get done.

Also these springs have 14" of articulation. I bought shocks with 13.1" of travel to go with them. I need to re-locate my ford shock brackets up higher to do this.

 

[colonel mustard]

I have ORD custom front 6" and rear 3". its a night and day difference. best way I can describe it is...if you go down a washed out fire service road when the dirt road get like a washboard....you cant feel them. you literally glide over them. the rears are nice to have because it stops the back end from hopping over stuff like that.

there is more free arch in the customs. that's a good thing though.

 

[colonel mustard]

No experience with ORD. I was in the suspension business for over 20 years. If someone tells you more spring leaves bit thinner will give you a better ride don't believe it.


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I'm not gonna battle with you. but this isn't true. I have had several brands of leafs on this same truck. ORD custom is a far superior ride in every single way. both street manners and off road.